Best One Pot Cheeseburger Pasta
When I think of my go-to comfort dish, that would please everyone in the family, but also its easy to make on a weeknight, this cheeseburger pasta is on top of my list. A hearty family meal that is incredibly meaty and cheesy!
Table of contents
Meet my cheeseburger pasta a creamy, flavorful, and hearty meal that is perfect for busy weeknights. This is one of my family’s favorite dinners, and even kids love it! With this easy recipe, I can easily feed a crowd. And even if its easy to make, this dish is never short on flavor.
This creamy ground beef pasta dinner is rich and flavorful, and a cool take on the American classic food that I guarantee you that you and your family will love. Make sure to top it with the classic cheeseburger fixings to make it extra tasty!
Another thing I love about this recipe is how inexpensive it is to make. I can serve my entire family for about $20 with plenty of leftovers and that is if I use the extra lean ground sirloin and special thick-cut maple bacon that my family loves.
I like to serve this with my creamy crack mashed potatoes. These addictive side dish is full of cheddar cheese, ranch seasoning, and bacon.
For more quick and delicious family recipes, try my homemade cheeseburger casserole or these sloppy joes.
Why you will love this recipe
- Because it is fast and easy: Perfect for busy weeknights, I made this recipe easy to make it in less than 30 minutes with just some ground beef and a few items found in most kitchens. There will probably be no need for a shopping trip at all. I usually have everything I need when I make this recipe.
- It feeds the whole family: I also want to emphasize that the whole family can be fed with this easy meal and there will still be leftovers. Well, in my house, we usually call them second helpings.
- There is only one pan to clean: I love to make one-pot meals because I hate washing dishes. This is one of my favorite one-pot recipes because of how easy it is and how much my kids love it.
- It is very inexpensive: I make sure that my recipes are cheap enough so that my readers can actually make them. There are no fancy, expensive ingredients here that would have to be specially ordered. Just the basic kitchen items that almost everyone has already.
What you’ll need to make one-pot cheeseburger pasta
Special items
- Large skillet – For making everything.
- Bowls
- Cooking utensils
Ingredients
- Pasta – I use large pasta shells because they hold a lot of the sauce, ground beef, and bacon so I get a mixture of flavors in every bite.
- Ground beef – It is important to use lean ground beef like 85/15 or 90/10 so there is less grease to worry about while still having plenty of flavor.
- Bacon – I love thick-sliced maple bacon for its smoky sweet taste of maple syrup, and it is not too greasy. I get a nice bite of bacon so I can actually feel it when I get a piece in my mouth.
- Yellow onion – I prefer yellow onions because they have a nice balance of pungent and sweet flavors that are slightly strong but not overpowering.
- Garlic cloves – Mincing garlic cloves releases more of its juices and oils to get the taste of its spicier and sweeter flavors.
- Paprika – For a hint of smoky and mildly sweet flavor with a bit of a kick.
- Parsley – Adds a fresh and clean peppery and green taste that can be a touch bitter.
- Worcestershire sauce – With anchovies, soy sauce, sugar, molasses, vinegar, and tamarind, this sauce has a little bit of every flavor from salty to sweet and a hint of spicy, sour, and tangy.
- Red pepper flakes – I like to add just a tiny bit of these for a touch of spicy flavor, but it is optional for those who are sensitive to spicy food.
- Tomato sauce – One of the main ingredients, I strongly recommend high-quality San Marzano tomato sauce. It is rich, sweet, and thick with an intense flavor that tastes better than any other type of tomato sauce out there.
- Cheddar cheese – Do not buy pre-shredded cheese. It is treated so it does not clump in the bag, which makes it not as flavorful or meltable. Get a fresh block of cheese from the deli and shred it.
- Salt
- Pepper
- Water
For the garnish:
- Cheddar cheese – For cheese lovers, add extra cheese on top when serving.
- Bacon – Extra bacon on top of this when serving will take this to a whole new level of deliciousness.
- Pickles – Make sure your guests like pickles before adding chopped pickles on top.
- Parsley – To add a touch of fresh greens to the plate when serving.
How to make one-pot cheeseburger pasta?
- Fry the bacon: First, I cook the bacon over medium-high heat until it is crispy and place it on paper towels to drain. After, I chop it and set it aside.
- Brown the beef: Next, I remove all the fat except one tablespoon from the pan and brown the ground beef over medium-high heat. Then, I drain the grease and add the garlic and onion, stirring to cook for one more minute.
- Everything else: The Worcestershire sauce, parsley, paprika, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, pasta, tomato sauce, and ¾ cup of water go in next. I stir and cook until the pasta is al dente, about eight or nine minutes.
- Add the cheese: Then, I add the cheese and eight slices of chopped bacon, stirring to combine.
- Garnish and serve: Finally, after one minute for the cheese to melt, I serve garnished with pickles, bacon, cheese, and parsley.
Expert tip
Reheating pasta
One of the main reasons I do not like to make too much extra pasta is because reheating it can be tricky. Some dishes can end up turning rubbery, while others turn into mush. Others just dry out completely.
I have found some ways to reheat most pasta dishes without ruining them, and I want to share them with my readers. First, I cannot guarantee that these ideas will work on all pasta dishes because it depends on the pasta shape, sauce, the actual dish, and the cooking method (microwave, oven, stovetop).
My favorite way to reheat this particular dish is to put it back in a pan and reheat it on the stove. First, I add a splash of broth to a non-stick skillet and let it heat up on medium-high. Then, I pour in the pasta and let it cook, stirring frequently, until it is heated through. If I am in a hurry, I will just put it in a microwave-safe dish and cover it with a wet paper towel. It only takes about a minute to reheat it, but I stop and stir it after 30 seconds.
If I have the time and do not feel like working over the stove, I will put it in a baking dish and cover it with foil. Then bake it in the oven preheated to 350 degrees F for 10 to 15 minutes. Either way I reheat it, I make sure it still has enough just in it to not become dry as it reheats. If not, I add some tomato sauce or chicken broth.
Drain the beef grease
Any excess fat is undesirable and not good for health. Hence, it is necessary to drain the grease especially if the ground meat you are using is not lean.
Unlike lean meat, regular and inexpensive ground beef is composed of about 30% fat by weight. This number is significantly reduced in ground lean meat so there is not much to drain if you are using this kind.
Remember that as you drain the grease, you are also draining away flavor. If you are to avoid this, use leaner meat but the downside is that it costs more.
Recipe variations and add-ins:
- Different meat: Instead of ground beef, sometimes I use ground turkey or chicken. The flavor is milder and it has less fat.
- More veggies: I love to add more veggies like chopped bell peppers, baby bella mushrooms, and even diced potatoes.
- Spicy: Along with the red pepper flakes, my husband loves it when I add some jalapenos too.
- Add ranch: For some extra addictive flavor, I also like to add some of my ranch seasoning mix.
- Relish it: To give this extra pickle taste, add a teaspoon of dill pickle relish.
Serving suggestions:
One-pot cheeseburger pasta goes with all sorts of side dishes. Here are some of my favorite ways to serve it.
- I like to serve it with a side of cheesy garlic bread, perfect for soaking up the delicious sauce.
- For a fun side dish, sometimes I make these fast and easy instant pot baked potatoes that take less than 30 minutes to prepare.
- Some of my favorite wines to pair with this dinner include Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Grenache, and Shiraz.
- This no-bake M&M’s pie is the perfect dessert to go with my cheeseburger pasta because it is one of the kids’ favorites too.
- I also like to make a tossed salad to go with it, just some romaine lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese are all I need.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my pasta chewy?
If the pasta is not cooked long enough, it will be chewy. I always try one piece and continue to cook it until it is al dente. Although it typically takes about eight or nine minutes, it may take longer with all of the other ingredients in the mixture. Let it continue to cook until the pasta is tender enough. If there is not enough liquid, just add more. Make sure it is constantly boiling though. Also, keep stirring it to help the pasta stay separated.
If you are worried about the pasta not getting appropriately done cooking it in the sauce, there is nothing wrong with boiling it beforehand. Use a saucepan to boil it as the directions per the directions on the package and then drain it before continuing with the rest of the recipe. Then, just add it at the end. Do not add it too early, though, or it will get mushy.
It can be made ahead of time, but it is best to store leftovers separately. Then, the sauce can be kept for four days and the pasta for five days in airtight containers. The sauce can be frozen in freezer bags for up to six months. Pasta should be drizzled with olive oil first and then tossed to prevent sticking. Then, put it in freezer-proof containers where it can be stored for up to two weeks. Afterward, thaw the leftovers overnight and reheat the sauce in a pan before adding the pasta.
It is probably because the temperature was too low. The pasta has to be simmering the whole time. If it is sitting still at any time when it is cooking, it gets sticky because it clumps together. Adding pasta too soon can also cause this problem. Also, do not stir it too soon; it can break the starches forming on the surface. So, add the pasta to boiling water and do not stir it until it has been in there for a few minutes.
How to store leftovers
- Refrigerate: Leftovers can be kept in an airtight container for up to five days in the fridge.
- Freezing: To freeze, place leftovers in a freezer bag or a freezer-safe container for up to three months.
- Defrost: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator for the best flavor.
- Reheating: Bake in the oven at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes, in the microwave for about a minute, or in the air fryer at 340 degrees F for five minutes.
More pasta recipes
Recipe tips:
- Instead of water, I almost always use chicken broth or stock for extra flavor.
- Use heavy cookware with a thick bottom to help it heat evenly.
- Make sure the pasta is simmering the whole time. If it is too low, it will become gummy.
- Start with a warm skillet to make the sauce smooth and help everything cook evenly.
- Have all the ingredients measured and ready to go because this recipe comes together quickly once it starts.
- To drain the grease, tilt the pan and let it flow to one side. Collect it with a spoon and discard it before soaking it up with a paper towel.
- Use leftovers. I sometimes use leftover pasta, various leftover vegetables, and a mixture of toppings, whichever I have.
Best Cheeseburger Pasta
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound large shells pasta
- 10 slices bacon chopped
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese cut into small cubes
Garnish:
- Cheddar cheese
- Bacon chopped
- Pickles diced
- Parsley chopped
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the directions on the box, aiming for al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Place a large pan over medium-high heat and cook bacon until crispy. Remove from pan to paper towels to drain excess fat. Chop and set aside.
- Discard bacon fat from the pan, leaving only about one tablespoon; add the ground beef and brown well over medium-high heat. Drain grease and return to heat.
- Add the diced onion and garlic, stir, and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the paprika, dried parsley, Worcestershire sauce, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Add 3/4 cup of water, stir, and cook until water is gone.
- Add the pasta to the pan. Add the tomato sauce and cheese.
- Stir to combine. Add eight chopped slices of bacon and stir to combine.
- Serve immediately, garnished with diced pickles, bacon, tomatoes and parsley.